Marseille expands food recovery from school cafeterias to combat waste and food insecurity, redistributing surplus meals to local associations.
Marseille tackles food waste and insecurity
The City of Marseille is expanding efforts to redistribute unused food from school cafeterias, which serve over 55,000 meals daily. The goal is to reduce food waste and help the estimated 350,000 people in the city who face food insecurity.Pilot program shows promise
Marseille has already tested the program at 13 schools, allowing local groups to recover two tons of uneaten food. For example, on September 29, 378 kilograms of meals and unused food were collected, leading to the redistribution of 863 meals.New agreement supports food aid
On October 16, the city council approved a "model agreement" to strengthen partnerships with food aid organizations. Current partners include the National Association of Solidarity Grocery Stores (ANDES), the Noailles-Belsunce Neighborhood Management Company, and HopHopFood, which provides a digital platform to connect food surplus with aid groups.Digital platform aids food recovery
HopHopFood's platform has already helped recover 86 kilograms of food from Marseille schools, including items like whole fruits, bread, canned goods, and biscuits. This initial testing phase highlighted the potential for more efficient food recovery.Agreement ensures food safety
The new agreement includes a framework for proper food storage, ensuring the cold chain is maintained. This allows the recovery of refrigerated items and helps associations provide fresh, high-quality food to vulnerable communities.Measuring program success
The city will evaluate the program's effectiveness based on the quantity of food recovered, the number of neighborhoods served, and the consistency of supplies for those in need.
